


November

by asilentherald



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, Arthur learns magic, Fluff, M/M, Magic, Pining, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-18
Updated: 2014-10-18
Packaged: 2018-02-21 14:27:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,466
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2471513
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asilentherald/pseuds/asilentherald
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Arthur, who's quite normal, witnesses Gwen, who's also very normal, doing magic, turned on by Morgana, who's currently not speaking to anyone with the name Pendragon, Merlin, long-suffering friend to Arthur, finds himself being asked to try the very same thing for him. There are a million reasons why it shouldn't work, but Arthur? Arthur's a stubborn prat, and Merlin can't help but wonder if it maybe, possibly, there's a chance it could work for them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	November

“Merlin!”

The cauldron jumped and rolled off the table with a massive splash of violently green goo. Merlin watched some of it slither toward where Arthur stood in the doorway. His heart rate jumped at the sight of him leaning against the wall.

“Sorry?” he said with a wince.

“I shouldn’t’ve scared you,” Arthur said, waving a hand. He stepped over the goo and started handing him Curse-Away Towels. “Do you have a minute?”

“Well, I _almost_ did,” he muttered. “I was nearly finished with my homework ‘til you showed up.”

“Seems like your magic still likes me,” Arthur said. Merlin glared at him, expecting a cheeky grin in response, but Arthur watched him mop up the mess on the floor with his lip caught between his teeth.

“What’s wrong?”

“Morgana has magic,” Arthur said. Merlin dropped the Towel.

“Er.”

“I’m assuming you already knew, then?” he asked flatly. Merlin rose to his feet, wiping grime off his pants as he goes. Arthur brushed a speck of dust off Merlin’s shoulder before shoving him onto one of the stools at Merlin’s workbench. He pushed Merlin’s goggles aside and dropped his head onto the surface.

“That’s probably contaminated,” he said weakly.

“Don’t care.”

“So… what about Morgana’s magic?” Merlin asked. He kicked Arthur’s shin until Arthur sat up, only to slump halfway over again. “I only know because, well.”

“You’re you, O Powerful One,” Arthur said.

Merlin looked away and brushed a few scraps of herbs off the workbench.

“I saw her doing magic last night. Actually, Uther did, and then he hauled me up there and made her show me, too,” explained Arthur.

“Ouch. She probably didn’t like that.”

“She packed a bag and went to Gwen’s after she kicked us out of her room.”

“Can’t say I’m surprised.”

“I wanted to tell her I didn’t mind, but she didn’t give me the chance,” Arthur continued. “What was she thinking? I’d hate her for it? _You’re_ my best friend, for fuck’s sake! If I really cared I wouldn’t even hang out with you!”

“Thanks, Arthur,” Merlin said sourly. “You really know how to make a guy feel good.”

“So I’ve been told,” Arthur said with a wink.

“Ugh, you need to stop hanging around Gwaine so much.”

“He’s my physics partner, mate. I wouldn’t set foot near his shiny hair if I didn’t have to.”

“Did you talk to her today?”

“That’s just it – I wanted to talk to her, and then I walked in on her and Gwen—”

“Arthur!” Merlin exclaimed.

“Not like _that_. Get your head out of the gutter, Merlin,” Arthur said with a dramatic sigh. Merlin stuck his tongue out. He kicked Merlin’s knee in response. “I went down to the bleachers and – Gwen was doing magic.”

“Gwen?” Merlin blinked. “She’s not—”

“I know,” Arthur said gravely. “Morgana ran off but Gwen said that when she asked her to show her the magic, it kind of… sparked something.”

“Ah.”

“Ah? What does that mean?”

“It means it’s something not super common among you normal folk, but it does happen,” Merlin replied. “Some people _could_ use magic. They’ve got the _thing_ for it deep down, only it’s not active. Only magic used a certain way can turn it on.”

“So… Morgana’s magic turned on that _thing_ in Gwen, and now she could learn magic if she wanted?”

“It’s not just exposure,” Merlin said quickly. “You’ve been around me using my magic tons of time and it’s done nothing to you. It’s more intimate than that. That’s probably why it worked for Gwen.”

“Because they’re—”

“Yeah.”

Merlin looked down at his knees. His legs looked absurdly skinny across from Arthur’s, all muscular and coated in golden hairs. Why Arthur insisted on wearing football shorts in late November (without changing out of the rest of his uniform, mind you, so he should have looked rather stupid; because he was _Arthur_ , he didn’t) while Merlin couldn’t find enough scarves to keep him warm was a mystery to Merlin.

“Can you try?” Arthur asked.

Merlin looked up. Arthur smiled at him in a way that meant Merlin must’ve looked like a deer in headlights.

“Try what?” Merlin asked. His heart raced for no good reason at all.

“The magic. I… I want to show Morgana that I don’t have a problem at all with it. I more than accept it,” Arthur said. His smile started to fall. “I don’t want to lose her as my sister, Merlin. Our father made it very clear how he stands on the matter. I need her to know I don’t feel the same way.”

“Arthur….”

“Come on, it’ll be harmless!”

“You don’t know that!”

“Neither do you!”

“Who’s the expert on magic here?”

“Expert?” Arthur snorted. “We still months from graduating secondary, Merlin.”

“You do realize most of my classes aren’t even here, right? I’m usually up at Camelot in their labs and classes,” Merlin said slowly.

“Wait, really? That’s why I never see you at lunch anymore?”

“It’s fucking November, Arthur! How are you just noticing this now?”

He opened his mouth to say something, then promptly shut it, his cheeks coloring red. He at least had the good grace to look abashed. Merlin huffed and slid off the stool.

“It might not work. It might hurt you, or me. Actually, it’s _definitely_ not going to wor—”

“Merlin,” Arthur interrupted. Merlin felt his hand drop onto his shoulder and turn him around slowly. Merlin sighed loudly.

“What now?”

“Please? I don’t know what else to do.”

“You could talk to her,” Merlin said pointedly.

“That’s not really working for me.”

“Can’t you ask Gwen to talk to her for you?”

“I already did! But that’s not going to be enough. You know what Morgana’s like.”

“Arthur—”

“You’re really going to make me say it aren’t you?” Arthur growled. Merlin raised an eyebrow at him. “I want to know if I can do it, all right?”

“What, want to prove you actually _can_ do anything?” Merlin said, instantly regretting how snide his words came off. Arthur scowled at him.

“No, actually. I’m curious and I want to learn more about magic because it’s about to become a big part of my family dynamic,” Arthur said coolly. “And… I’m just – I always wondered, alright? They keep you guys in the Sorcery program all the way on the other side of campus. We don’t know shit about what goes down here.”

“If you wanted to know you could’ve just asked,” Merlin said. He tempered his voice. “Sorry for being a bit of prat just now.”

Arthur rolled his eyes.

“I’ve been enough of a prat to you over the years,” he said, rolling his eyes. “You’ve earned a few shitty comments.”

“You know I’d rather not,” Merlin said rubbing the back of his neck nervously. Arthur shook his head, smiling gently at him.

“ _Anyway_ , I’m asking now,” he said. “Will you help me, Merlin? Please? Pretty please with those gross strawberry candies you really love on top?”

“Only if you get me some Strawbs, alright?”

Arthur nodded feverishly. “I’ll get two.”

“Let’s go find an empty Meditation Room,” Merlin said. He waved at hand at his workbench. It was spotless in the blink of an eye. Arthur touched the table surface tentatively. “It still needs to be sanitized.”

“Right,” he said, whipping his hand away.

Merlin led Arthur down the hall and up a flight of stairs. His heart hammered harder and faster, his hands clammy on the doorknob as he twisted it and led them onto the top floor of the Sorcery building. The light was golden up there, made so by the setting sun streaming through the narrow skylights. Merlin kept several paces ahead of Arthur, peeking into Meditation Rooms until he found an empty one halfway down the hall. He cast his Lock Code spell and the door swung open.

“What is this?” Arthur asked.

“Mediation Room. We come up to these rooms twice a week,” Merlin explained as he dropped his backpack in the cubby in the back. “Learning magic, shaping what you’ve got, can be pretty stressful. Magic for some is temperamental, too, so it helps everyone to just… chill out.”

“You sound like a bunch of stoner kids.”

“Oh, Arthur. We don’t need weed to get high,” Merlin grinned. Arthur’s brain seemed to visibly turn off at that, making Merlin snicker. “Come on. Sit on the carpet.”

It’s plush and plentiful under his fingers as Merlin settles cross-legged across from Arthur.

“You sure about this? There’s no off switch if this works,” Merlin warned.

Arthur nodded, his eyes clear and determined, never leaving Merlin’s own.

“Give me your hands,” Merlin said, presenting his palms to Arthur. Arthur’s touch was light, but secure. Merlin clamped down, curling his thumb and pinky around the bulk of Arthur’s hand, leaving the other fingers to point straight down the inside of his wrist. Merlin did his best not to savor the contact. His magic would feel his not-so-hidden thoughts and – well, his magic was also a bit of a blab. Merlin sucked in a steadying breath and set to work.

The spell rose easily to his lips. His voice came out deep and rough. Arthur’s hands twitched in his; Merlin tightened his hold on him. His words starting coming out more smoothly and gently, searching and coaxing as it finally met Arthur and entered his person. Arthur exhaled softly and started to relax, his rigid posture finally starting to let up. Merlin’s magic soared once it recognized Arthur. It played and teased, making Merlin smile without telling him why he was smiling; his magic knew more than Merlin ever would, and he accepted that a very long time ago.

Merlin searched and searched until he found a little spark of _something_ , buried deep in a dark corner of the core of everything that makes up Arthur Pendragon. It was small, but it touched everything else around it – nothing would have survived without that tiny spark. Merlin’s magic reached cautiously for it, trying hard not to frighten it and cause it to recede even further, but the spark leaned into Merlin’s touch and blossomed in a cascade, every tether and line to the rest of Arthur lighting up brighter than lightning.

It was that quick, too. Merlin’s magic recoiled like an elastic band, striking him with a pinch. He gasped and fought hard not to let go of Arthur, not while his magic is still making its way back to him, not while it was still working on making Arthur stable.

Merlin opened his eyes when he felt he could breathe easily again, like the air wasn’t still made of electricity and cauldron fumes. Arthur was of course the first thing he saw, his eyes a little glassy, his lips parted and his face relaxed. His golden hair seemed to glow a little more brightly.

“How do you feel?” Merlin asked. He sounded incredibly out of breath.

“I don’t know,” Arthur replied, sounding no different. “Did it work?”

“I think so. I felt it.”

“I did, too,” he said softly. “Can we… can we try something?”

“Sure,” Merlin said. His mind came up blank. “Uh.”

“Give me something easy. Gwen was making little lights dance in the air—”

“Oh! That’s pretty simple. You don’t even need a spell for that,” Merlin said brightly.

“Then how—?”

“Magic is part of you, just as much as your limbs are. You’ve got to exercise it like a muscle before you can start doing fancy tricks, right?” Merlin said. Arthur nodded, watching him with growing interest. “Reach inward. It might take a while to find what you’re looking for—”

“Found it!” Arthur gasped. His eyes were shut again. “Now what?”

“Tell it what you want. Make it happen. Just… imagine it, and then open your eyes. Let it happen.”

“Let it happen?”

“Your magic will take care of it.”

“It can’t be that easy to get whatever you want.”

“Oh, god, no,” Merlin frowned. “But for something this simple? Yeah. It is. Just… trust me, Arthur.”

“I do trust you,” he breathed, a smile teasing at his lips. Merlin was glad his eyes were still shut so he didn’t see the terrible blush that overtook his face.

A little light popped between them, and then another. Arthur’s face was scrunched in concentration – not at all adorably – until he managed to make a string of lights appear. Then he relaxed and the lights appeared with less and less effort. Merlin was beaming like a bloody loon by the time Arthur opened his eyes and watched the fruits of his labor pan out in the space between them. His normally blue eyes glimmered gold, taking Merlin’s breath away.

“I did it!” he exclaimed.

“You did!” he marveled.

“Is that it? That’s all it took?”

“For some very lucky few people, yes,” Merlin said. “Guess you’re one of them.”

Arthur was looking at his watch.

“I might still catch her before she and Gwen leave,” Arthur said. He was already standing up and rushing to the cubby for his backpack. Merlin started to frown, all the joy and excitement in his belly suddenly turning to concrete and sinking fast. “You hanging around?”

“I – No. I’m going home,” Merlin said. He grabbed his bag and backed away from Arthur, not meeting his inquiring gaze. “Good luck.”

“Thanks,” Arthur said slowly. “Merlin—”

“Go, Arthur. You’re just wasting time staying here,” Merlin said. He could feel the great sigh building up in his chest. He fiddled with his scarves until Arthur finally hurried past him and ran out the door.

Merlin dropped his backpack on the floor and shortly followed it. He pressed his face into the soft, clean carpet and tried not to cry.

He felt like crap. As usual, it was Arthur Bloody Pendragon’s fault. Arthur, his best friend, apparently. Usually, Arthur did something stupid to annoy Merlin, something petty and occasionally mean – but he’d never really used him quite so blatantly, not since Merlin caught Arthur cheating off one of his tests in their first year of secondary (which led to many arguments and near-brawls, and eventually to their ridiculous friendship).

Merlin pulled at the carpet hairs and rolled onto his back. He squeezed his eyes shut and hated the hot tears streaming down the side of his face.

It was stupid and selfish, he told himself, but he very well knew he was also right to be upset and mad. Merlin rose abruptly and took his things. He went right back down to the labs and set about redoing his potion. He wiped his face clean before donning the goggles and throwing himself headlong into his second attempt.

 

* * *

 

The door swung open so hard it ricocheted off the wall and almost slammed shut again. It scared Merlin right out of his skin. The cauldron, yet again, tumbled out of its stand and poured its contents over the workbench.

“Sorry,” came a voice Merlin very much did not want to hear in that moment.

“Arthur!” Merlin shouted. “What the hell?”

“I didn’t think it’d happen again!”

“Why can’t you open the goddamn door like a normal person?” Merlin snapped. He looked down at the mess and glared. He’d almost had it, too.

“Because I’m me, Merlin. You know that.”

“Right. Can you go now?”

“What? Why?”

“I’m busy! You’ve fucked up my homework twice today already!”

“I thought you said you were going home?” Arthur asked, taking a step toward the bench. He stopped when he saw the look Merlin was giving him and took a step back. “Okay. You’re mad. Why are you mad?”

“Did you get to Morgana?” asked Merlin. He crossed the room and searched for more Curse-Away Towels in the cabinet, deliberately keeping his back to Arthur.

“Yes, actually. She said she’d be willing to talk over dinner,” Arthur said. Merlin heard his voice get louder, echoed by his approaching footsteps.

“I’m glad,” Merlin said. He meant it. He really was happy they were starting to work things out. 

“Here.”

Merlin looked to his right and found Arthur offering him two bags of Strawbs.

“I had to go out to Essetir to find these,” Arthur said, “and then when I got to your house your mum said you were still at school, and then I had to look all over the goddamn Sorcery building. That Quidditch team gave me the most judgmental looks, Merlin, honestly.”

“You’re really loud about calling it not a real sport,” Merlin snorted. “What did you expect?”

“It’s fictional! Are you going to take them?” he said, shaking the candies in Merlin’s face. He didn’t particularly want them. Merlin placed them on the counter next to his backpack.

“Thanks,” he mumbled. He went back to the workbench and started cleaning. He heard another Towel rip off the roll. Arthur appeared on the other side of the table and started scrubbing away silently.

“You’re not going to take it for granted are you?” Merlin blurted. Arthur looked up from where he’d been rubbing at a particularly green spot on the table.

“Of course not,” he blinked. “I was… well, I was hoping you’d teach me properly.”

“Me? Why?”

“You’re the one who turned it on!” Arthur exclaimed. He paused, as though he didn’t know if he should go on, but the words came out anyway. “And – when I felt it, I felt _you_ there. In me. Wherever the magic was.”

He blushed brighter red than the scarlet on the Camelot crest on his vest.

“Well, it _was_ my magic, and it’s pretty much all there is to me, so—”

“That’s not true,” he frowned. “You’re a hell of a lot more than a warlock.”

“Tell that to everyone in this goddamn school,” Merlin muttered. “It’s always _Emrys can do this_ or _can he really do that?_ And they’re always testing me! It’s bloody exhausting. They’re always trying to see if I can do things, and when I can, I end up having to do a million demonstrations for the teachers and the students, just because they physically can’t.”

“I’m sorry. That’s pretty damn shitty,” Arthur said, “but that’s not what I meant.”

“Then what?”

“You’re—,” he stopped short. He looked down at his hands on the table, then at Merlin’s, a frown forming on his lips. “You’re just you, Merlin. You’re – you’re kind of _lovely_ , and you care too much about other people to tell them when they’re being selfish arseholes, even after they’ve messed up your potion twice in one day.”

“You’re—”

“Come on. That’s why you’re mad, right? I ran out of there without even thanking you.”

“That’s part of it.”

“Then what else?” he asked, exasperated.

“It shouldn’t have bloody worked!” Merlin snapped. “It’s not supposed to work so easily, okay? It worked for Gwen and Morgana because they’re basically soulmates and they just _fit_ together, right? It works for people like that! We’re – we’re not—”

“We’re not,” Arthur said. He sounded terribly small. “We’re not, are we?”

“No,” Merlin said miserably. Arthur looked at him, but Merlin refused to meet his eye now. He took the filthy Towel and headed for the Magical Refuse bin. Arthur followed him slowly. Merlin’s magic twinged sharply, making him stop short.

“Maybe we should be, then,” he said.

Merlin turned around. Arthur was holding the Towel out, his eyes gold as the greenish wad hovered above his open palm. Merlin couldn’t stop staring even as Arthur advanced on him. He dropped the Towel in the bin, then dropped his hand. Merlin and his magic relaxed.

“You said it shouldn’t have worked,” Arthur started. Merlin looked away. His hands were shaking, but when he glanced at Arthur’s, he saw them shaking too. “But it did. Maybe….”

“What are you saying?” he asked. He surprised himself at how tired he sounded. “It’s cold and late and I really would like to go home now, but if you’ve got something to say—”

“Don’t go,” Arthur said, catching Merlin’s hand as he passes him. Merlin’s magic jolted. He looked back at Arthur, who was equally wide-eyed, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed. “I—”

Arthur moved far too quickly for Merlin to register what was happening. His free hand caught the back of Merlin’s head, just where his hair curled over his neck, and he pulled Merlin in close, bridging the gap between them with a kiss. He was tender and tentative, his lips soft on Merlin’s, and he waited for him to respond.

Merlin pressed back curiously, tilting his head to the side _just_ so.

His magic met Arthur’s and the whole room seemed to fall away. All Merlin could feel was Arthur, the roughness of his uniform sweater under his fingers as they curled and bunched the fabric up, drawing him closer. His lips were a little dry, but so were Arthur’s, chapped from the brisk November wind. Arthur’s eyes fluttered; his eyelashes tickled Merlin’s cheek, making him laugh into Arthur’s mouth. Arthur started to smile in response and sighed, kissing him yet again. Merlin’s magic seemed to dance and sing around them, Arthur’s following in a trail of red and gold, still young and amorphous, but very much alive and brightening with every passing moment.

They eventually came apart, the space forming between them resolutely reluctant. Merlin’s magic whined. The room returned to them, their little bubble terribly warm and comfortable compared to the cold air of the Potions Lab.

Merlin looked at Arthur. His cheeks were flushed and his lips were plump and red. Merlin licked his own lips without thinking and watched Arthur’s eyes follow the motion of his tongue. A giggle escaped him. Arthur snorted.

“You great _girl_ ,” he said fondly. Arthur cupped the side of Merlin’s face and ran a thumb along the ridge of his cheekbone. His expression was soft and bare, something Merlin had see before; he recognized its incredible rarity.

“So—”

“Was that okay?”

They spoke over each other.

“Yeah,” Merlin said, nodding feverishly, still feeling a little dazed.

“I’ve wanted to do that for years,” Arthur said. Merlin’s jaw dropped.

“No way.”

“Yes,” he said, ducking his head. “It’s stupid, I know.”

“Uh, _yeah_. If I’d known that I’d’ve kissed you ages ago!” Merlin exclaimed. Arthur brightened instantly. Merlin laughed. “We’re idiots.”

“A bit,” Arthur said, biting his lip around a laugh.

“Can… can we do that again, then?” Merlin asked softly.

“I really want to,” Arthur breathed. He kissed Merlin again, wasting no time in letting his magic meet Merlin’s.

Naturally, Arthur’s mobile started to ring. Arthur groaned and pulled back from Merlin just enough to hold the phone to his ear.

“Yes?” he answered. “What? No. I’m – I’m having dinner with Morgana. _Yes_. I’m in the middle of something right now, okay?”

Merlin heard a loud _ooh!_ through the phone. 

“Shut up,” Arthur said with a faint smile. “Yeah, it’s all good. See you tomorrow.”

He pocketed his phone.

“Gwaine,” he said by way of explanation. “He says hi.”

“How did he—?”

“He’s been telling me to make a move on you for months, you know,” Arthur said.

“He gave some good advice, then.”

“A one time thing, if you ask me, seeing as he wants to go drinking on a Tuesday night.”

Merlin shook his head, grinning.

“What time are you meeting Morgana?” Merlin asked.

“Soon,” Arthur said, glancing at the clock on the wall with a mournful expression. “I should go.”

“Oh. Er. Okay, then.”

“Do you want to come?”

“You need to sort this out with your sister, Arthur,” he said, shaking his head. “I shouldn’t be there.”

“You think she’s not bringing Gwen?” he asked incredulously. “Please, Merlin? We’re already attached at the hip!”

“Yes, but—”

“It’ll be like a double date.”

“Except _awkward_ because you’re trying to convince your sister you don’t hate her and tell her you can use magic now, too,” Merlin said. He sighed loudly. “Fine. I’ll come, but only because you’ll probably find a way to cock this up without me.”

“That’s why the spell worked,” Arthur said with a soft smile. “We’re already a pair.”

“A weird one,” Merlin amended. “We did things a little backwards.”

“Sort of,” Arthur said. He handed Merlin his coat and wrapped the scarf around his neck, ignoring Merlin’s feeble protests. He eventually ties it gingerly and arranges the folds with care. “I’m sorry for how I behaved earlier. It was terrible.”

“It’s okay. You were… excited, maybe a bit scared? I get it,” Merlin said, shaking his head.

“Not an excuse,” Arthur said, shaking his head. “I promise I’ll do better in the future.”

“Okay,” Merlin smiled.

“Thank you,” he said.

“Can we have a hug then?” Merlin asked with a grin as he shut the lights off and locked the classroom. Arthur took Merlin’s hand and laced their fingers together, thumb stroking the back of Merlin’s hand. It made Merlin’s face burn happily. Arthur looked just as pleased.

“This okay?”

Merlin nodded, unable to stop smiling, even as they stepped into the bitter air outside. Arthur paused on the top of the steps.

“Wait.”

He shut his eyes, his brows coming together in concentration. His hand tightened on Merlin’s, his lips forming incomplete words. Arthur exhaled slowly through his nose.

Little lights danced around their heads, forming a smaller and smaller circle until Arthur was close enough to kiss – so Merlin kissed him. Merlin reveled in their warmth, knowing he’d never get used to how _incredible_ he felt with Arthur in his arms. It was different, sure; he was certain it’d take time to really transition from friends to something more, but Merlin has a good sense that they’d been well on the way there for a while. He knew they had all the time in the world to get there now.

When they pulled back and looked around, all the trees lining the front lawn of the school had changed from dying brown to brilliant shades of gold, red, and orange. A gentle wind blew through the open space and carried the leaves to them, settling like a colorful carpet leading their way out of the school.

“Show off,” Arthur muttered.

“A bit,” Merlin admitted. Merlin didn’t have the heart to tell his magic off for being dramatic.

“I loved it,” he murmured. Merlin started.

“Yeah?”

“Did I ever tell you I think your magic’s a _bit_ of a turn-on?”

Merlin swallowed.

“Uh. Definitely not,” he said.

Arthur nodded, kissing the spot on his neck just under the corner of his jaw. Merlin shivered – and his stomach growled loudly. Arthur laughed, his breath warm on his neck.

“Let’s go. We’ve got all the time in the world, Merlin.”

“We do,” Merlin beamed. “We really do.”


End file.
